With the exhibition “Hermann Hesse – Ready to Set Out” (March 21–October 11, 2026), the Kunsthalle Messmer is dedicating an extraordinary exhibition to the poet and Nobel Prize laureate Hermann Hesse, showcasing a surprising side of him: as a painter.

The most widely read German-language author of the 20th century, known for works such as *The Steppenwolf*, *Siddhartha*, and *The Glass Bead Game*, used painting as a creative counterpoint to writing and as a means of processing personal impressions.

The exhibition brings together more than 130 works —ranging from vibrant watercolors and ink drawings to illustrated poems and letters, as well as typescripts and rare first editions —and demonstrates how Hesse’s visual and literary works engage in a dialogue with one another. The colorful works reflect his love of nature, his longing for harmony, and central themes in his life such as new beginnings, renewal, and the search for identity.

From the beginnings of his painting in Bern, through his inspiring time in Montagnola, to the influences of the alternative community on Monte Verità: this exhibition invites you to rediscover Hesse!